Dumb c-section question about the bag of waters

jenb_99 · May 2014

It just occurred to me that my bag of waters will in all likelihood be intact when I go in for my RCS. So...what becomes of it? Is the baby delivered inside the intact bag and then...popped out? lol Or does the doctor suction the fluid out somehow? I can't even picture what becomes of all that fluid! I'm GBS+ and I can't imagine my OB would break the bag before the surgery, since that would create a contamination risk. Unless it's broken just seconds before the baby is delivered...?

What a weird little detail to pop into my head now. But seriously, where does all that amniotic fluid go???

Nmooney1 · May 2014

It's suctioned out during surgery. You won't even notice it going on.

jenb_99 · May 2014

@Nmooney1 Well, I suppose that would make the most sense, huh? I guess I just never considered what happened to it. Thanks!

Nmooney1 · May 2014

I will pay extra attention in the morning and see if I can notice when they do it. Lol.
I do remember hearing a lot of suction, but I'm not sure if it's the waters or blood (gag).

jenb_99 · May 2014

My husband plans to stand on the bloody side of the curtain (he's a freak), so I'm sure he'll narrate every step to me. I can't wait. :-&

jenb_99 · May 2014

@aimee223 GBS is external, but when the bag pops and the fluid is expelled out of the vagina, the barrier is gone, which immediately increases risk of exposure (mostly via backwash).

bcnoelle · May 2014

I asked my doc if they had a suction or something after they made the incision and she explained something that sounded like a saddle with side pockets that collects the fluid on the surgical table.

fyafighterwife86 · May 2014

I can honestly say..I have never in My life thought of the answer to this question. And I have to admit..I'm curious LOL

jenb_99 · May 2014

@bcnoelle That actually sounds kind of disgusting. Ew! I like the sound of suctioning better. lol

hsal · May 2014

I asked this question too! I had my section on the 6th and hubs sat next to my head. He watched them deliver the baby but he was completely enthralled with my "bucket of innards" that everything was being suctioned into. I had no desire to see it myself.

ksyknelvr73 · May 2014

I swear to you I had this exact same question. I had a vaginal delivery with DS1 but I like to read up on C-sections to be prepared, just in case, and I swear this is one detail I just had no clue about.

jenniferroshto · May 2014

Interesting question! I haven't ever thought about it. I had a c section with this LO but it was emergency. My water had already broken at home and baby decided to turn breech when I hit 9 centimeters.

sthomas1222 · May 2014

It's actually really cool IMO. I saw multiple c/s during my L&D rotation. At out hospital at least they do your incision then break your water. It looks like freaking Niagara Falls coming out of this little incision. It was my favorite part of the surgery. After that most moms start puking from the drugs & I don't like puke...

pistolpackinmomma · May 2014

I puked long before they started cutting. I am not looking forward to the dry heaving again. :-&

jenb_99 · May 2014

Weird. I never threw up. But I had a badass anesthesiologist who pumped my iv line full of zantac and phenergan right before we went in, so maybe that was the difference.

pistolpackinmomma · May 2014

According to americanpregnancy.org they suction it out but I suppose that could vary from hospital to hospital.

sthomas1222 · May 2014

pistolpackinmomma said:

According to americanpregnancy.org they suction it out but I suppose that could vary from hospital to hospital.

There's still suctioning going on but I honestly don't know how they would avoid that initial wave of fluid on incision. Unless they cut a small hole and suction it out then finish the incision...

lizbub3 · May 2014

I'm an RN and worked in the operating room doing c-sections. They have everything down to a science. The drapes they put on you that are sterile have like a PP described correctly like a saddle that catches the fluid and the blood on either side of you. So once they make the incision and can see the amniotic sac they make a tiny incision in the sac and water and blood begin to pour out and flow into the side bags where they leave the suction catheter inside the bag to suction out the fluid. In our OR we had to record how much fluid and blood was suctioned out for the patients medical record. Normal amount of fluid ranges between 500 mL to 1000 mL. That's a lot of fluid!

jenb_99 · May 2014

@lizbub3 Cool! Thanks for the info.

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